Huskers Continue Road Schedule at No. 2 UCLA

Huskers Continue Road Schedule at No. 2 UCLA

The 14th-ranked Nebraska women’s gymnastics team will travel to Los Angeles, Calif., Monday, Jan. 17 for a meet against No. 2 UCLA at Pauley Pavilion. UCLA opened its season ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll, but suffered a loss to current No. 1 Utah.

The Huskers also look to rebound after a season-opening loss, 195.900-194.200, at No. 3 Michigan, Jan. 7 at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor. The loss was the first time since 2002 that NU had not won its first meet of the season. The Wolverines, led by All-Americans Elise Ray, Jenny Deiley, Lindsey Bruck and Chelsea Kroll, claimed four of the five individual events. Nebraska’s Kristi Esposito won the all-around title with a 39.075.

The meet at Michigan also marked the return of 10-time All-American and 2003 NCAA all-around and floor exercise Richelle Simpson. The senior finished third in the all-around (38.650) behind Bruck’s second-place 38.800.

Nebraska’s freshmen also proved their prowess, as Emily Parsons led the Huskers on floor with a 9.850, which left her in third place in the event. Parsons also tied for third on beam with Desire Sniatynski, who made her debut with a 9.825.

 

Scouting the Bruins

Head Coach - Valorie Kondos Field

2004 Overall Record - 15-5                      Pac-10 Finish - 2nd (197.875)

2004 Regional Finish - 1st (197.325)        2004 NCAA Finish - 1st (198.125)

 

Head Coach Valorie Kondos Field’s UCLA squad opened its season ranked first in the preseason NACGC poll, but dropped to No. 2 in the national rankings after falling to Utah. Since 1992, the Bruins have qualified for 13 consecutive NCAA Championships.

In the season-opening meet at current No. 1, the defending NCAA champions finished with a 197.300 to Utah’s 197.675. Freshman Tasha Schwikert earned a 39.575, UCLA’s highest all-around score, and veteran senior Kristen Maloney was close behind with a 38.525.

Despite losing three All-Americans in Jeanette Antolin, Jamie Dantzscher and Yvonne Tousek, UCLA returns strong for the 2005 season. The Bruins feature three Olympians in their lineup. Maloney, a five-time All-American and competitor at the 2000 Games, and eight-time All-American junior Kate Richardson, who was a two-time member of the Canadian Olympic team, bring veteran leadership to UCLA. Schwikert competed for the United States at the 2000 Olympics and served as an alternate in 2004.

Joining Maloney and Richardson as key returning letterwinners are sophomores Ashley Peckett, Michelle Seleskey, Lori Winn and Courtney Walker, as well as senior Christie Tedmon.

UCLA’s heralded freshman class could make an early impact on the team’s success. Schwikert’s sister, Jordan, a two-time U.S. National team member, and Lindsey Vanden Eykel, a former two-time champion on the uneven bars at the U.S. National Championships, join the Bruins’ lineup in 2005.

 

The Last Time Nebraska and UCLA Met...

Long considered among the premier gymnastics programs in the nation, UCLA and Nebraska have become perennial opponents, as Monday’s dual in Los Angeles, Calif., marks the sixth straight year the Huskers and Bruins will compete against each other. UCLA leads the all-time series 25-6.

The Huskers last met the Bruins at the 2004 NCAA Southeast Regional hosted by North CarolinaState. UCLA won the team title with a 197.325 to NU’s 196.375. Jeanette Antolin won four of five individual events for the Bruins, including the all-around (39.750), vault (10.000), uneven bars (9.950) and balance beam (9.950).

Just two weeks later, UCLA claimed the team title (198.125), when the Bruins hosted the NCAA Championships in Los Angeles. Nebraska failed to reach the Super Six Finals, but it was the sixth consecutive NCAA appearance for the Huskers, who placed 10th with a 196.15.

 

Up Next for the Huskers...

Nebraska will travel to Gainesville, Fla., on Jan. 21 to take on No. 12 Florida. The Gators, led by senior All-American Erin Dooley, placed second (194.450) behind No. 10 Georgia (194.850) in the Super Six Challenge hosted in Gainesville last Friday. Florida takes on No. 20 LSU Friday, Jan. 14, at 7 p.m. in Gainesville.

 

Coaching Milestones

   Head Coach Dan Kendig is the all-time winningest coach in the 29 years of Nebraska women's gymnastics history. In 12 seasons at Nebraska, Kendig is 264-91-3 overall and 190-31-1 in regular season meets. Kendig enters his 22nd year of coaching and owns a career record of 362-194-3.

   A six-time Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year, Kendig has guided the Huskers to eight conference championships and three straight regional championships in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

   He has also led Nebraska to nine NCAA Championships appearances in the past 11 seasons, including NCAA Super Six Finals appearances in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. Kendig was honored as the NCAA Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2003, a year in which the Huskers finished with a final ranking of fourth in the nation.

   Under Kendig's tenure in 2004, Nebraska finished with a 15-9-1 overall record. The Huskers placed second (196.375) in the Southeast regional behind eventual NCAA champion UCLA. NU also placed 10th (196.150) in its sixth consecutive NCAA Championships appearance. Three of Kendig's gymnasts -- Libby Landgraf (V, UB), Kristi Esposito (AA, BB) and Michele Zabawa (V) -- earned a total of five All-America honors.

   Kendig is assisted by Danna Durante, who is in her third season with Nebraska, and Adrian Burde, who enters his fourth year on the Husker staff.

 

Simpson Returns for Senior Season

   Senior Richelle Simpson is expected to lead the Huskers in 2005, as last year her senior season was cut short due to a knee injury. The Toronto, Ontario native was granted a medical hardship year by the NCAA and now looks to defend her status as a 10-time All-American at Nebraska.

   In 2003, Simpson led NU to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships, which were hosted in Lincoln. She was crowned national champion on the floor exercise (9.963) and the all-around (39.675), finishing ahead of UCLA's 2002 NCAA all-around champion Jamie Dantzscher and Kate Richardson in third place. Simpson earned first-team All-America accolades on the vault, uneven bars, balance beam, floor exercise and the all-around. She is the only woman in Nebraska gymnastics history named an All-American on all five events.

 

Nebraska Results at Michigan

Name                           Vault    Bars     Beam   Floor    All-Around

Stephanie Carter            9.750    ---        9.950    9.700          ---

Kristi Esposito               9.625    9.800    9.850    9.800      39.075

Kylee Johnson                 ---       9.625      ---         ---            ---

Emily Parsons                 ---       9.700    9.825    9.850         ---

Jamie Saas                     ---       ---        9.200    9.750          ---

Richelle Simpson           9.725    9.800    9.800    9.325      38.650

Desire’ Sniatynski          9.325    9.750    9.825      ---             ---

Brittney Williams           9.700    9.750      ---       9.525          ---

            Team Totals   48.125   48.800   48.650   48.625    194.200